The 'art' of complaining Learn to be an effective 'squeaky wheel' with faulty goods

Thursday

Jun 20, 2013 at 2:00 AM

Got a gripe? Whether it's a faulty cellphone, a cranky washing machine or a designer dress that falls apart, inevitably something goes wrong with something you've bought. What do you do?

CLAUDIA BUCK

Got a gripe? Whether it's a faulty cellphone, a cranky washing machine or a designer dress that falls apart, inevitably something goes wrong with something you've bought. What do you do?

Too many of us just give up or don't bother trying to get the store or company to resolve the problem.

"We live in a buck-up-and-take-it society," said Anthony Giorgianni, associate finance editor for Consumer Reports magazine. "We're not going to plead for anything; we're just going to take it. We have a subconscious feeling that when we speak out, we're viewed as a complainer."

But consumer experts say the old adage is true: Being the proverbial squeaky wheel gets results.

"Not all consumers are treated equally. If you're persistent and know how to complain effectively, you're more likely to get a remedy," said Amy J. Schmitz, a professor at the University of Colorado law school in Boulder and author of an academic study of the "squeaky wheel system."

Typically, says Schmitz, companies have two types of responses to complaining customers: those who get the quick brush-off, and the "squeaky wheels" who merit some attention.

Maria Papantoniadis, an office manager for a Sacramento graphic design firm, is definitely the latter. "Most people don't want to spend the time to write a letter or spend the money to ship (an item). I used to give up, give it away or let it sit in a drawer," says the ardent eBay and mall shopper.

Whether it's an Igloo picnic cooler or a Pottery Barn umbrella, Papantoniadis is

not shy about pursuing a replacement item or parts when something goes wrong.

About two years ago, a Michael Kors watch that she'd bought on sale at Macy's stopped working, long past the original warranty period. It couldn't be repaired locally, so she went online, looked up the warranty information, found the company's customer service department and called.

At her expense, she shipped the watch to them and Michael Kors sent her a $250 replacement watch, which was more than she had paid for the original.

There's an art to getting good customer service. Here's how:

"Don't go in with guns blazing or you give them little incentive to help you," said Giorgianni. "There is less chance the company is going to help you if they feel they've already lost you as a customer."

Instead, make it clear that you like shopping at the particular store or buying the brand of merchandise. Mention that you're a longtime customer or loyal to the brand.

Many consumers give up too easily.

"You really should not settle for the first thing you hear, because that person could be having a bad day, they could be mad at their spouse or girlfriend," said Giorgianni. Some customer service reps, he said, can even harbor "subconscious biases" against women or minority callers.

If you don't get a satisfactory answer, "go up the food chain," he says. Ask to speak to a supervisor or manager. If necessary, take it to the CEO's office.

Giorgianni says a local retailer, even if it's a chain, usually wants to treat its customers well.

Also, even if your warranty has expired, it doesn't mean there's no point in trying. Giorgianni says the legal concept of "implied warranty" means there's a reasonable expectation that a product should be workable and usable. For instance, "No reasonable person would spend $3,000 for a fridge that breaks down in a year."

Even if the limited warranty is long past or you lost the original receipt, you still might be able to get satisfaction. A few years ago, for instance, Schmitz had a blender that stopped working, but she didn't have the original paperwork. Even so, when she called the company, they offered to send her a new blender. Her only cost? The $7 shipping fee.

Many companies have Facebook pages where you can post your beef on a message board. The sites are monitored and you'll often get a reply from a company rep. Same with message boards on the company's website.

And if all else fails, don't be afraid to lodge a complaint with consumer agencies: the Better Business Bureau, your state consumer protection agency or the Federal Trade Commission.

Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com

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